58 CARYOPHYLLACEJE. 



the tickets were being collected previously to the train entering 

 the station. I was not able to go back when I reached the 

 station, as a carriage was waiting to convey me far into the 

 country ; but I lost no time in writing to a friend in Eichmond 

 to procure the plant for me. She was much amused at being 

 requested to botanise in so novel a field of research, but she 

 quickly procured the plant ; the flower is small, but the plant 

 is compact, and the broad-shouldered leaves are not out of 

 proportion. 



The Spring Sandwort (A. verna), is my favourite; its stems 

 are light, and its leaves narrow, and it is half covered with 

 brilliant white starry flowers. It is almost the only plant that 

 is not injured by lead in the earth and water ; but it grows as 

 freely upon the heaps of rubbish near the mines, and upon the 

 bed of the lead-stained stream, as upon the green margin of 

 the most limpid brooks. 



The Fringed and Level-topped Sandworts are mountain 

 plants. 



The Mossy Cyphel we have none of us found, I believe it 

 to be very rare. 



The Mouse-ear Chickweeds are the last family in this tribe ; 

 they vary from the Sandworts in having notched or cloven 

 petals, while those of the Sandworts are entire. 



The Water Mouse-ear is very like the "Wood Stitchwort, 

 but it has five stigmas, while the Stitchworts have but three. 



The Field Mouse-ear (Cerastium arvense, Plate IV., fig. 9), 

 is the handsomest of the family ; it has large intensely- white 

 flowers, and its foliage is small and narrow, and of a white 

 powdery hue. It is pretty as a rock plant, or for a border 

 for Scarlet Geraniums. These specimens were from a gay 

 plot on Eichmond Castle Hill. 



The Broad-leaved Mouse-ear (C. vulgatum and viscosum), 

 has insignificant flowers and coarse rough foliage; it is un- 

 objectionable when mingling with the sward, but is often a 

 troublesome garden weed, as is also the Narrow -leaved 



